Day 314: A Gift From The Indian Godstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef0153923cdbb5970b2011-10-11T23:16:29-04:002013-08-15T21:52:42-04:00Source If you've been following along, you already know: Curry + Kathy = Unhappy worms. So, per doctor's orders, I'm eating it...all-the-time. I have Thai curry, Indian curry, Irish curry, curry seasonings. For my birthday, Angel gave me turmeric tea and 3 kinds of curry (yes, there IS more than...Kathy

If you've been following along, you already know: Curry + Kathy = Unhappy worms. So, per doctor's orders, I'm eating it...all-the-time. I have Thai curry, Indian curry, Irish curry, curry seasonings. For my birthday, Angel gave me turmeric tea and 3 kinds of curry (yes, there IS more than one kind). For lunch today, I had curry. For dinner, I had it again.

Whaattttt??? Could it be??? Is it true??? Not knowing what Snoopf was, I went straight to the source (sorry Snoopf commission people). Sure enough, there it was. Right there in black and white....$10 for a $25 Gift Card. Holy CAMOLE!!!

But wait, it gets better.

Not one to pass up a bargain, I think "Hey, we love that place. Might as well get a $100 in gift certificates." (the most allowed in one shot). So, I order 4-$25 certificates, get ready to HAPPILY press check out, and spend $40. Then, just before I press the button, I have a random thought.

"Wonder if there's a promo code for restaurant.com on line????"(You know, the kind that will give a discount on top of a discount???).

So, I open up another window, google "restaurant.com promo code" and BAM! Another link to another discount--this one for 80% off!!!

Bottom line??? I just got $200 in gift certificates to my FAVORITE Indian restaurant for $16. $16!!! (Yes. I ordered twice).

TOUCHDOWN!!!

Here's to something going right... :)

Altered Today: Happiness, Pocketbook.

Day 291: Imperfect or I'm Perfecttag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef014e8ba9d75e970d2011-09-18T19:30:08-04:002011-09-18T19:55:33-04:00Every once in a while, when things go really, really dark, I find myself speechless. I'm sure, deep down, I've something magical to say, but, before I can type asdfjkl;, my inner critic has a field day. IC: You can't talk about that. THAT's not interesting. IC: Complaining again. Nobody...Kathy

Every once in a while, when things go really, really dark, I find myself speechless. I'm sure, deep down, I've something magical to say, but, before I can type asdfjkl;, my inner critic has a field day.

IC: You can't talk about that. THAT's not interesting.IC: Complaining again. Nobody wants to hear about your elbow, soul, worms, thrush, love life, thoughts, etc.IC: Really, why do you even bother writing??? Is it for you? Is it for them? Does THAT really contribute anything?

Struggling with that today, I flipped open one of my favorite writing books: The Pocket Muse.Its advice: You have to be willing to write badly.

YES!!! Imperfection. Now we're on to something.

Wanting to "get it right"...I know I'm not the only creative person to struggle with this. My husband and I just discussed this very phenomena as he recently struggled to get his project off the ground.

Day 247: What To Do When You Don't Have Earplugstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef014e8a6976c2970d2011-08-05T17:34:16-04:002011-08-05T17:37:48-04:00Over the past 12 months, I've learned a lot of lessons: how to be vulnerable, how to be brave, how to listen to my body, how to navigate the world of chronic illness. Not to sound cheesy, but, you could say, everything I learned in life I learned from Lyme...Kathy

Over the past 12 months, I've learned a lot of lessons: how to be vulnerable, how to be brave, how to listen to my body, how to navigate the world of chronic illness. Not to sound cheesy, but, you could say, everything I learned in life I learned from Lyme Disease.

Day 217: 365 Projecttag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef015433862700970c2011-07-06T15:34:50-04:002011-07-06T17:42:28-04:00My first pic -- A Small Light "Share a photo every day for a year." That's the goal of the 365 Project. Users sign up, take a snap, then share the shots with family and friends...creating a visual on line diary. At first, I was reluctant to join. After all,...Kathy

"Share a photo every day for a year." That's the goal of the 365 Project. Users sign up, take a snap, then share the shots with family and friends...creating a visual on line diary. At first, I was reluctant to join. After all, I blog daily. Isn't that enough??? Still, my desire for perspective trumped my fear of overwhelm. Besides...what else am I going to do? It's not like I'm out running marathons.

I like the idea of documenting the journey...in words, pictures, or otherwise. Just having this new goal makes me look at my environment differently. Before yesterday, I never appreciated the bathroom night light or my red light switch. Kind of pretty, don't you think???

Wanna play along??? To create your own 365 Project, go here. If you do, let me know. I'd love to see the world through your eyes.

XOXO

Altered Today: Self expression

Day 215: From Our Mouths To God's Earstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef014e8997bb88970d2011-07-04T17:13:08-04:002011-07-05T09:29:12-04:00It's been a long time since I celebrated the 4th of July. Nothing against freedom or fireworks (I appreciate both); it just brought up bad memories. At 19, one of my best friends was killed on Independence Day. At 36, another friend passed near that time. Couple that with crowds,...Kathy

It's been a long time since I celebrated the 4th of July. Nothing against freedom or fireworks (I appreciate both); it just brought up bad memories. At 19, one of my best friends was killed on Independence Day. At 36, another friend passed near that time. Couple that with crowds, loud parties, and explosions that scare my pets 'til 3 in the morning, it became more painful than anything. But it wasn't always that way...

"Mom, look, sparklers! Can we get some?" I used to beg when I saw the familiar blue and and white pack. Excitedly, I would wait for the sun to fall so I could paint the sky. They were my candles... waiting for wishes.

"Fix Muffins," I cried one year, thinking of my injured cat. "Don't let Matt move away," I prayed another. And on and on and on...

The exact utterance wasn't important, at least not as much as the belief that someone was listening. The brighter the glow, the more I knew, God was watching and paying attention.

As I think of the 4th this year, I am returned to my childhood and the hope that God favors sparkly lights filled with wishes. With every flame that rises and every ash that falls, I no longer see sadness and tears, but dreams of a new future...one filled with health, happiness, and peace.

Day 206: Time for Tea 2011tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef01538f707510970b2011-06-25T22:43:02-04:002013-08-15T23:36:33-04:00Lots to experience at today's gluten free/sugar free tea party. Food... Friends... Fun... Love... I am tired, but it's good tired; the way you are when you trade a day for something worthwhile. Thank you Debbie, Denise, and Angel for making this possible and thanks to everyone who attended. This...Kathy

Lots to experience at today's gluten free/sugar free tea party.

Food...

Friends...

Fun...

Love...

I am tired, but it's good tired; the way you are when you trade a day for something worthwhile. Thank you Debbie, Denise, and Angel for making this possible and thanks to everyone who attended. This was one of the best afternoons I've had in almost a year.

I love you and miss you already.

XOXOX

Altered Today: Memories, Friendships, Well Being

Day 200: Not Seen On TV--My Lyme Informercialtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef014e893e3e8b970d2011-06-19T21:00:45-04:002011-07-15T23:22:28-04:00Have you ever wished someone understood what you're going through? I think it’s a human desire...not limited to illness. Mothers wish husbands would get what’s it’s like to stay home, run a house, and chase after two-year-olds. Employees wish bosses would do their job so they could understand inefficiencies. And...Kathy

Have you ever wished someone understood what you're going through? I think it’s a human desire...not limited to illness. Mothers wish husbands would get what’s it’s like to stay home, run a house, and chase after two-year-olds. Employees wish bosses would do their job so they could understand inefficiencies. And sick people...well...we sometimes wish others could feel our pain... just to know what it is we're experiencing.

Although I wouldn't wish poor health on anybody, I would love for somebody to “try on” having Lyme Disease (or chronic illness) for a day and see what it’s like...going from doctor to doctor, having pain that seldom stops, constantly worrying about pills, food, sleep, money, energy, and the future. It makes me think of those pregnancy vests--you know, the kind designed to teach men what it’s like to be walking around with child? If I designed something to convey my experience, following are a few things I would include.

Special features include:-built-in worm pinchers that constantly chew on your sides, back, arms, and heart-strange glasses that cause your vision to blur, make you see floaty things, or magnify light until you feel nauseous and dizzy-a vice-like head wrap that causes you do nothing but lay down and cry-titanium rib belt that inhibits breathing, makes your bones hurt, and chest seize-a 16-ton arm charm that disappears and reappears just when you're about to do something useful like fold laundry or crack an egg-superbugs that no one can see, but you can feel-microzappers that send stinging pain to your arms, feet, and hands-misguided compass that makes you insist north is east and south is west-memory debilitater that makes you forget things or mxi htings pu

Act now and you'll also receive unlimited doctor visits, insomnia, a no-variety diet, an empty bank account, a stiff neck, worms in your poop, unpredictable exhaustion, restless legs, that special hit by a mac truck feeling, baseball bat pain, ice pick hip, skeptical looks, a hit or miss ability to walk and talk, joint misery, plantar fasciitis, and, as a special gift, a pre-programmed CD that plays the following hits over and over and over and over: Lyme Disease...It's All In Your Head, You'd Get Better If Only You'd..., Well, At Least It Isn't _________, and my personal favorite Your Labs Are Fine.

Day 197: What She Saidtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8345ae36153ef014e892e5382970d2011-06-16T12:08:02-04:002011-06-16T12:08:02-04:00Do you have any goofy sayings? You know, the ones passed down from family member to family member? Maybe, you made them up in grade school. Maybe, they are something you only say to your dog. Maybe, they are some really chopped up version of what a word should actually...Kathy

Do you have any goofy sayings? You know, the ones passed down from family member to family member? Maybe, you made them up in grade school. Maybe, they are something you only say to your dog. Maybe, they are some really chopped up version of what a word should actually be.

I have several in my world:-I call my dog and almost anything I adore Bup-pa.-My oldest, bestest friend and I always say "Surely...but the time we're _________(50, well, employed, full, rich...)"-If I love you, I will at some point tell you "I'd cry if you died"-I say HubbaBaLou (rather than Hullabaloo)-"I'll put a pin in that" is a recent addition (thanks, Barb)-And probably a dozen other things that only those who are closest to me or who have listened to me talk for any extended period of time would have some input on

Today, however, I heard a new one; one I love and am totally going to steal. It made it's debut while I was on the phone with my friend Marcella.

Marcella:How are you feeling?Me:Really good. You know. I am not 100% (more like 75%), but I have been getting out...got my hair done, haven't been napping, been visiting with friends. It's amazing. I think I'm getting better.Marcella:Oooooh... I'm squeezing my butt cheeks for you.

(Scooby Doo)...HUH?

Translation? Apparently, in Marcella speak, "squeezing your butt cheeks" is the equivalent of knocking on wood ....which is another funny expression people say when they don't want to jinx something.